Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-12-07
YOUR HOL
4 pKsrRucTTVE YIRE,
The Grand Central Stables and q Residence
Burned Last Night,

The Grand Central Stables and Residence
Burned Last Night,
Casing Q Loes Of Six thousand Dollars,
With Only Partial Insurance.
Medicine Lodge was visited last night
with a most destructive conhagration,
the extensive livery barn of Doran &
Roberts, and residence, the property
OF W. ID. Van Slyke, near the barn, be-
ing entirely burned up. The loss on
account OF the barn and contents was
not less than 5000, and insured for
$500. The Van Slyke house and stable
were worth perhaps 81 200 and insured
for $500. The latter was occupied as a
residence by Granville Morris and his
family. Nearly all of their household
goods were saved, though badly broken
up.
No one appears to know how the fire
originated though nearly every one be-
lleves that it was an accident. When
first seen, the blaze was in the rear or
north end of the building, in the middle
row of stalls, in the hay rack. Claude
Sample, coming down stairs from his
brothers Office, saw the blaze through
one of the side windows of the barn,
and at once gave the alarm. Thos.
Doran and Nick Roberts were only a
few feet in away from him in front of
SherlOck's billiard room, they with 9TH
ers being in the act of stepping in \
carriage to go out in the country to a
dance. In minute they with dozens
of others were in the burning building
rescuing the horses and saving the
vehicles and harness. In the barn were
about 80 horses, 10 being stock boarded
there. Every animal was saved and
only one, pony belonging to Louis
Eckert was even scorched. 1t was con-
siderably injured. Several buggy poles
and shafts, sets of harness and a con-
siderable amount of hay, corn and oats
was burned up.
The burned building was Sc X 100 feet
two full stories high, and was built in
1910 at cost of 5000. 1t was the
most complete and barn in this part of
Kansas, being finished up in highly
ornamental style. 1t was built by Lee,
Doran q Roberts, though Mr.. Lee sold
his interest In 1t last spring.
The insurance on the livery barn was
held in the following companies:
Hartford Fire Insurance Company. 81, 900
Fire Association, OF London. ..... LOCO
Gerlnania of New York sOo
American Fire, OF Philadelphia, ... 1000
Total. $500
L. a. Simmons is agent for the three
first-named companies and 7. G. Molloy
is agent for the last-named.
w. d. VanSlyke Is not here, but it is
known that he has $500 insurance in the
Northern Assurance company of Aber-
deem and London. This ipolicy is held
by A. l.. Noble, mortgage.
The Van Slyke four-room cottage
was only separated from the barn by an
alley twenty-five feet wide. Of course
this building could not be saved. A
stable in the rear contained a buggy,
two horses and lot of feed, the proper
ty of Granville Morris. All but the
feed was saved.
Directly west of the Van Slyke build
ing and but fifty feet away was a four
room house, the property of o. G.
Ewart. This was badly scorched and
only saved from obstruction by the
heroic efforts of the hundreds of will
ing workers. Had this building caught
fire the Grand hotel would have been
in great danger.
So great was the heat, that the houses
of DIR. Yant and s. p. Coan on the north,
E. YOumans on the south and surround
ing buildings on the east and west were
considerably scorched. The woodwork
on the court house, even, was blistered
and defaoed.
Fortunately, there was but a slight
wind blowing or considerable portion
or the town must have been in danger
There is no such thing here as an Or
gained fire company; there are few
places where water can be easily OBJ
tanned; there does not appear to be a
half dozen ladders in the town, and in
short we are at the mercy of fire every
hour OF the day or night. We can only
be thankful that the con1agration of
last night was 10 worse. Dora &
Roberts are heavy losers, but they have
their splendid stock of horses and We
hicles left-the best perhaps in South
ern kanSas-and they are energetic and
will no doubt, soon be on their feet
again.